Thread: help wanted with the mysteries of Ann mason, Tenby 1830-1880s

somerset3

Hi - can anyone got a minute to give some assessments of probablity - or to help with information about the children of Ann Mason? I believe Ann was baptised at Gumfreston 15 August 1830 (IGI info), and by 1871 had married David Thomas (who was much younger than her) and was living in Tenby. However prior to her marriage she had no less than 7 illegitimate children all bar one born in Tenby - Susan in 1849, (who I believe may have been baptised 30 Jan 1857), William Henry, born about 1852 and baptised on the same day as his sister, at the age of 5; Selina, b c 1857 and also baptised on the same day aged 3; Caroline, who was born in Pembroke Dock and who I can find no other information about; Mary, b c 1860 in Tenby, John b c 1863, and Martha, b c 1866 (who possibly died in 1872). (Stupidly I forgot to write down where I found the baptism information)

This is a family that appears to be full of mysteries! I am trying to work out - if it is possible to do so - who may be the father (s?) of her children?

I have found the family in the census:
In 1841 Ann, aged 11, is with her mother Elizabeth at Chimney Park in Tenby, and with her other 3 younger siblings. There is no sign of her father though Elizabeth's occupation is given as wife of QM, then there is a line through this. (it is hard to make this out ? QM? (wife of ?QM? - is this short for Quartermaster? Is this an army family? There is no sign of her husband Thomas, nor have I found their marriage)

In 1851 her mother ELizabeth is still living in Chimney Park Tenby, widow, laundress, and visitor in the Thomas househole, together with her other children, and a Susannah Davies aged 2, also a visitor - but Ann is missing.

She appears to be working as a servant round the corner in Main Street, aged 21,

In 1861 Ann surfaces in Norton, St mary Liberty, Tenby, aged 32, a charwoman, unmarried, and head of the family of Susan,, dau 12, , William, son, (Selena) dau 7, Caroline, 3, and Mary 1 (all born St Mary Liberty, Tenby). Could Susan be the same as the Susannah Davies living with Ann's mother ten years earlier? Next door to her is her mother Elizabeth, a 'chare woman' - and on the other side is a David Thomas, aged 21, born Cot Hill Narberth and a general servant..

By 1871 Ann was 42 and married, to a David Thomas, aged 34, unemployed groom, born Narberth - is this the same David Thomas as above? Either way her new husband was too young to be the father ofall of the children, though when her daughter Caroline married she gave her father as David MASON, a groom. Could he have been her father? He would only have been about 18 or so when Caroline was born.

I am very interested to try to find out who was (or were it may have been several) the father of the children?

Somewhere along the line was also a Frederick Mason, born in Tenby about 1883, presumably the son of one of the children, but again I can't work out which. He was raised by an aunt and later moved to Sheffield and became a bricklayer.

I would love to find out more about this family not least because we have inherited a beautiful photo album from them and can't identify any of them! (Though we believe from an aunt that one is a photo of Frederick, taken in Tenby. Sadly she couldn't identify any of the others, but there are quite a lot taken in Tenby).

Any help, advice etc would be most welcome. I would have ordered Caroline's birth cert but it doesn't appear her birth was registered.

Thank you.

Pembrokeshire

Hi somerset3,

We run a Blog in the Pembrokeshire area, I'm from Tenby its self which is located here would you mind if I cut and Paste part of your Thread into our blog to help you.

Mark

Starlight

Hi somerset3.

An illegitimate child became the responsibitlity of the Parish where the child was born. They didn't like paying maintainance for a child if the father could be found. The best place to look for information is in the records office under the title of B astardy Bonds. These were to ensure that the father’s of illegitimate children paid maintenance for the child. Each case was dealt with differently. A B astardy Bond would give the name of the mother of the child, the child’s name, date of birth, the Parish where born and chargeable to. It would also show the name of the father that was appearing before the Justices and the amount ordered to be paid for birth fees, to the Overseers of the Poor and the amount for maintenance of the child. A father of a child may be found here when no record is shown on the Parish records. After 1733 any man that swore an oath stating that he was the father of a an illegitimate child was sent to jail. Check Quarter Session records for court proceedings also.

somerset3

Hi Starlight

thanks for this - I will definately explore these suggestions. I will get an e mail off to Haverfordwest (where the records are) this morning! Thanks, Diana